


His Own Castle

by JFSindel



Category: Street Fighter, Street Fighter (Cartoon), Street Fighter (Live Action 1994), Street Fighter II Movie (1994), Street Fighter II V, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2009)
Genre: Come on, F/M, Tags May Change, it's a secret - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23421589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JFSindel/pseuds/JFSindel
Summary: After the incident, Chun Li becomes a married woman. Everything is just so perfect with her perfect husband. But there's cracks starting to form under the surface and her husband just seems to have all the answers...
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this passes the time for you in midst of this crisis.

"Oh! I'm never going to get this right!"

_ Bang!  _ A rolling pin hit the counter in frustration. A dainty pair of hands, covered in flour, started to smush uncooked pie crust into uneven strips. 

Chun Li was hardly beaten by anything except  _ this. This _ was just the hardest, most difficult action in the entire world!

"I'm an awful wife." She bemoaned, pitiful as could be, "The worst wife in the world."

The young twenty-something slumped to the floor, defeated as flour caked every surface. Thoughts of how her loving beau would come home and be disappointed about the fact that Chun Li couldn’t cook or bake to save her life.

Of course, her wonderful husband of one month, Mikheil, wasn't actually like that. He'd probably help her up and soothe her with some hot tea and cookies. Might even spoil her with an expensive gift to wipe away her tears.

"Why did he even marry me? I can't even cook or bake!" Chun Li mumbled, staring up at the ceiling, "Oh...I messed up so bad…"

God, she was so pathetic as she felt sorry for herself. She used to be an Interpol detective for Pete's sake! Strongest Woman in the World and gifted martial artist!

Now Chun Li couldn't even get this housewife thing down…

A housewife. She ran her fingers through her hair, feeling grains of flour fall out. A beautiful, loving housewife to a man she only knew for three months. 

What a life she lived. 

A ringtone started to play. Some jaunty little pop tune about a man bringing sexy back. 

Chun Li hastily grabbed her phone, "Baby?"

_ "Hi, darling. I just got out of work. You wouldn't believe the day I had... everything alright, love? You sound out of breath." _

"I'm fine! Just making dinner!" She quickly assured him, pressing the receiver close to her ear, "Are you coming home?"

_ "Of course, my dear wife. I wouldn't be able to stay away." _

Chun Li felt warm and fuzzy, giggling softly, "I'll miss you until you come home."

_ "I miss you too. I'm a lucky man." _

Her cheeks flushed, scanning over the messy counter and flour ridden marble tops, "Uh huh. Sure. Love you."

_ "I'll prove it when I get home. I better start driving, honey. The traffic is awful. Love you." _

Chun Li heard the phone click, swelling her heart with joy. 

Mikheil. Her heart melted a little. The love of her life. The man who got her to give up everything. 

Chun Li couldn't really describe how she got here. One minute, she's hunting down Shadaloo and facing down the feared M. Bison. Squaring off in an isolated field with nothing but the wind.

The next minute, Bison bullrushes her into a coma and broken bones. She's barely coherent when she  _ does  _ wake up. Her memory becomes hazy. Even lost. 

Chun Li can't remember the next few days. Between the concussion and drugs, she barely hangs on by a sliver. Everything is falling apart. She starts falling into a deep abyss and can’t get out. 

Then, like a prayer... Mikheil. 

She doesn't remember exactly how they met. Just that Mikheil was at her bedside, holding her hand. Helping her remember the time. Her life. Chun Li confesses quite frequently to him that she cannot recall him at first. 

Mikheil is kind. And patient. Loving, even. 

He tells her that he had an intensive surgery and was at the hospital for a while. Perks of getting old, he called it. 

He convinces the doctors to move him to her room. 

Then, the two start to talk as if they had known each other forever. Sharing memories. Laughs. Inside jokes. 

Mikheil told Chun Li that he ran an accounting firm in Manhattan. He lived alone in his bachelor apartment and never married. No children. 

"Do you want children?" Chun Li asks hopefully. 

"One day." Mikheil smiles knowingly, "With the woman of my dreams." 

When Chun Li is finally released, Mikheil is too. He asks her on a date, practically throwing himself at her mercy to accept. 

Not that she would deny. When she got a good look at him after the hospital stay, her eyes were entranced by him. 

Mikheil was taller with jet black hair and beautiful blue eyes. He had tufts of gray hair around his ears and peppered throughout his head. A strong jawline and soft crow feet around his eyes made him look so dignified and handsome. 

His glasses were thick framed with metal ear pieces, fashionably square. Chun Li giggled to herself when she first saw those glasses in full use, almost jumping his bones. 

And he was  _ so _ strong! Muscles and taunt skin…

Mikheil stated that his job had a gym and since his surgery/rehab, he had to exercise more often. Chun Li couldn't really listen because she drooled over his tight, rolled up long sleeve shirts and vests. 

He was definitely Daddy material. Exactly how Chun Li pictured a dream man, albeit with dark hair instead of blonde. 

They went out a few times. Always perfect, down the flowers he would give her. Chun Li eagerly called and texted him every day (every hour, it felt like…), just to be near him. 

And the  _ sex.  _ The sex, the sex! Mikheil could map a body better than a cartographer. The first time they made love, Chun Li had the most intense orgasms that felt like it lasted for days. She was practically his little kitten, sitting in his lap and begging for more of his body. 

For an accountant, he was damn good. 

In the first two weeks of dating, Mikheil pleaded with her to move in with him. He said he loved her so much that he couldn't bear another second. 

Chun Li agreed first out of necessity. Interpol had fired her for being unable to work in the field due to her substantial injuries and failed investigation, something she was already risking. It was strange how fast Interpol tossed her out...

So income wasn't coming in anymore. Mikheil swooped in and rescued her. 

Turns out, his accounting firm was the largest in the city with clients all over the world. So wealth and status were backdrops to him. 

Chun Li couldn't say no to that, especially desperate. So she moved her things into his home. At first, she wanted to be like roommates with separate rooms. 

Mikheil convinced her otherwise, namely with his smile and charming words as he made her a mess in his bed after a long night of lovemaking. 

_ "So you're going to sleep in my bed, correct?" His words whispered in her ear as he kissed her earlobe, "And nowhere else?" _

_ "Yes, yes…" Chun Li mewled, "Nowhere else…" _

The apartment was littered with pictures of them. Even in a short time they've been together, Chun Li and Mikheil took tons of pictures together. 

Her two favorite ones was the day of their wedding at the chapel and the other was the two sharing an ice cream pop. 

Chun Li had known that marrying Mikheil was foolish but she couldn't help herself. After just a month, he asked her to be his wife and frankly, Chun Li wasn't getting any younger.

Plus, aside from being gorgeous and perfect, Mikheil deeply cared for her and she felt the same way. 

Now she was a little spoiled housewife, spending her days in a Manhattan high rise apartment and shopping. While Chun Li often protested Mikheil spending on her, he insisted that she take his luxury.

“I work enough for both of us. You can stay home and take care of the place since I am gone so much.” Mikheil stated. For some reason, that made perfect sense to Chun Li.

So Chun Li was determined to make a beautiful home and relaxation for him. She cleaned the home, scrubbed his socks, and dolled up her body for him. She would never greet him in sloppy sweatpants and stained tops! The least she could do was be beautiful for his tired eyes after a day of work.

Chun Li never went too crazy. She always felt guilty, even when Mikheil assured her that this was what he wanted. But there were things that she started to impulse buy and Mikheil was always very encouraging. 

Mainly, she was buying clothes and lingerie. 

Today, however, Chun Li went out and bought the last thing he expected: cooking supplies. Chun Li was determined to make him a delicious dinner. Meatloaf with greens and Mikheil's favorite dessert, apple pie. 

However, Chun Li found the apple pie almost impossible. The recipe and video she was watching simply wasn't making sense! 

Frowning, she placed her hands back on the dough before she heard a knock at the door. Curious, Chun Li opened it. 

"Chun Li!" 

Her neighbor below her and good friend, Tháng Tám (or Tammy as Chun Li calls her) waved at her. 

Tammy and Chun Li had met on the first day that the latter moved in, becoming fast friends. After all, Tammy had brought freshly baked cookies and a smile so how could Chun Li not love that?

The young woman lived with her girlfriend, Suki. At least, Chun Li reckoned the two were dating. They were always together…

"Everything okay, Tammy?" Chun Li queried, trying to hide her mess, "I hope I didn't cause too much of a ruckus."

"Everything is great!" Her neighbor said, "I was wondering if you and Mikheil would like to come over tomorrow for some wine and cheese?"

"Oh! If Mikheil is off…" The wife of the household replied, musing it over, "We'd love to!"

“Great!” Tammy said, “I’ll let Suki know. Are you...doing okay?”

Chun Li rubbed her head, chuckling uneasily, “Yeah...everything is fine. I was just...uh, cooking?”

“Cooking?” Tammy peeked over at all the flour, “That kind of looks...interesting. Do you need any help? Maybe some...cooking lessons?”   
  


The Chinese woman rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, “I don’t need that. Have some faith in me. I know how to cook.”   
  


“Uh huh. Right.” Her friend surveyed Chun Li’s flour-ridden outfit, “I can go fetch a pie from the store. All you have to do is put it in the oven. Hell, there’s pies where you don’t even have to do that.”   
  


Chun Li frowned, going back to her doughy destruction, “It’ll bake real good! I promise!”

“What’ll bake real good?” A deep voice rumbled from the doorway as Tammy jumped a little. Soon, a tall man wearing a suit and jacket entered and her friend stood aside, looking down at the ground as if in shame. 

“Oh!” Chun Li threw her arms out as if to keep the dinner a surprise, “I thought you were stuck in traffic, Mikheil! I didn’t expect you so soon!”

  
“It let up around…” Her husband trailed off, “...Is that flour? Or paste?”

The young wife dropped her arms in surrender, slumping forward, “Yes…”

“Well, I’ll let you two at it. See you tomorrow!” Tammy waved good-bye, hurrying off. Mikheil nodded at her and shut the door, locking the deadbolts. He loosened his tie a little and took off his jacket, wrapping his arms behind a messy little spouse.

“How was work?” Chun Li asked, feeling him hug her tight.

“Good. I landed a big account today.” Mikheil replied, his words slightly muffled, “Should really increase some revenue. Took some finagling but the client came around to my side of things. Your husband is a damn good negotiator.”

She patted his cheek, “Aw. He’s the best. That’s why I married him. He convinced me to.”

“That’s a good idea.” Her husband said, “After the big account, I’ll get some little fish for awhile. Everyone is going to want to join up. That’ll keep me busy for a few months. How was your day, my lovely little Chun Li?”

“It was fine, honey. I didn’t do much.” Chun Li answered, shifting her weight a little in her heels, “Just went shopping and...oh! I told Tammy we’d come over for cheese and wine tomorrow. You’re going to be here, won’t you?”

“Of course.” Mikheil agreed, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Though, I don’t know what I’m going to do when you girls start gabbing about stuff…”

Chun Li gave him a look, “We do not  _ gab _ about stuff.”

He rolled his eyes, letting her go as he opened the fridge for a drink. Chun Li took a quick glance at his bottom when he bent over, blushing a little as he stood back up with a beer in his hand. 

“Yes, you do.” Mikheil sighed, “You gab about makeup and hair and deals you found at the store...if you really drink some wine, you start talking about sex and dating…”

“I only talk about sex when I’m bragging about you, my strong and sexy man.” Chun Li said, putting her hands around his neck, “And I do it to make the other girls jealous of what I have. Which is a lot.”

His grin was apparent across his face as Mikheil dipped over, holding her close again as he set down his drink. 

“I missed you, sweetheart,” He buried his head into her neck, swaying her a little, “Damn, you look good like this. I’d lick you clean if I could.”

Chun Li rolled her eyes, playfully batting him a little, “Oh stop. I’m a wreck.”

Mikheil laid firm kisses on her neck, tightening his grip on her hips, “Baby, I can’t imagine a single thing that would make you look unsexy. You know, I’ve been thinking about you all day long…”

“Oh?” She said, running her hand down his hair, “You think you can just walk in the door and try to seduce me…?”

“Yes, I absolutely do.” Mikheil said as his hot breath played on her cheek, “You know, I keep a picture of you on my desk.”

Chun Li blushed a little at his manly purr, feeling a tingly sensation in her toes. Thoughts of last night fleeted across her mind as Mikheil groped her thighs a little, cupping her posterior in his hands. A little wine and some sweet-talking in her ear wound up becoming some rope bondage and...

“Oh yeah?” She responded, letting him kiss lower on her neck, “Is it a naughty picture?”

“Mm. I wish.” Her loving husband said, “Just a cute little picture of you. Every man in my office looks at that picture and says how lucky I am to have such a hot wife. Why, they even tell me that I’m a lot nicer after marrying you...as if you soften me up.”

The former detective closed her eyes, feeling his hands slide under her skirt, “It’s probably because you’re so relaxed after all...of...the lovemaking...we have…”

“Baby, you have no idea.” Mikheil purred, “You’ve been on my mind all day, my little minx, and I am just aching for your body. I just can’t help myself. But I think I can be a little...meaner tonight. Hm? Pull your hair, pin you down, and have you all to myself…?”

Chun Li giggled, “Mikheil, I need to cook.”

“I can last for two weeks without food. I can’t last another minute without your body.” He objected, swaying his hips against hers, “Don’t deny a man needing his bride in his own castle.”

His hand slipped down the front of her skirt before Chun Li stopped him.

“Hey, hey…” She whined, “I need to finish this...it was your surprise…if we make love again, we’re just going to wind up ordering out…”

“Sacrifices must be made.” Mikheil teased before Chun Li shushed him.

Her body leaned in real close to him, staring up at his beautiful eyes behind his glasses. She felt mesmerized by his presence, as if she could fall into his embrace forever. Mikheil was the only man she knew that had that effect on her. 

“Let me finish, clean up, and afterwards, you can have me in bed for hours.” She offered a compromise and Mikheil sighed, giving her a kiss on the lips. 

“Deal, my love. But I get to do one thing.” He said as Chun Li looked quizzical.

“What, honey?” She asked and before she knew it, she felt a firm slap on her rear. Chun Li rolled her eyes, breaking away from his embrace as he smirked to himself. She reckoned that Mikheil felt pretty proud of himself for that one.

“You’re such a horndog.” She claimed, fixing her skirt, “I’m surprised you don’t come home on your lunch breaks and ravish me.”

Mikheil leaned against the counter before feeling the flour stick to his hands. Annoyed, he brushed it off on a dishtowel. 

“Believe me, I’ve thought about it.” He said, cleaning off the powdery mess, “If the traffic wasn’t so bad in New York, I would come home every lunch hour to ravish you. But alas. Foiled by the meager transportation jams this city has to offer…”

“You could take the subway.” Chun Li suggested, starting to wipe off the counter, “Or the bus.”

Mikheil scoffed, “Darling, one cannot get in the intimate mood by taking a subway or bus. I’d be too busy worrying about getting mugged or catching the flu on those disgusting rails. No, no, I need to be fantasizing about it on my way home while steadily increasing my speed to somewhat unlawful levels.”

She laughed, feeling him sweep her up in his arms again. One passionate kiss later and Chun Li felt a little lightheaded. She collapsed into the safest place possible against his broad chest as he stroked her hair. 

The woman had no idea what she did to deserve such a fairytale husband.

“So…” Mikheil started, “What were you trying to make, anyway?” 

“I tried to make you apple pie…” Chun Li sighed, defeated as the flour mess was over the counter, “But... it's harder than it looks.”.

Mikheil smiled, kissing her doughy ear, “I'm sure I'll love it. Besides, it only smells a little burned.”

Chun Li looked confused, “But...I...oh God! The meatloaf!”

She bolted to the oven, throwing open the door. Black smoke billowed out, forcing her to cough as she threw the ruined mess on the stove. Mikheil cautiously came up, hiding his cough. 

“Maybe we can carve around the burned part.” He suggested, seeing Chun Li bury her hands in her face.

“Oh no...I didn't take anything else out…” She bemoaned, “I'm sorry. I thought I did everything…”

He smiled, pulling her into his arms, “But my favorite meal in the entire world is crispy meatloaf. I think it's perfect.”

She brightened, “Really?!”

A tender kiss on the head, “Of course. Let’s eat dinner. I’m famished.” 

Chun Li couldn’t believe how happy seeing her new husband eat her food made her but she was beaming brightly. Mikheil ate without complaint, practically serene in his meal, and she couldn’t stop feeling overjoyed. 

She did notice that he was alternating between water and his alcoholic drink but she thought perhaps he was trying to drink less. 

Everything about Mikheil was so utterly perfect. Chun Li never had much luck in love before him and she was just astonished that she managed to wind up with such a great guy, especially after a short period of time. 

But even though she felt happy and her marriage was happy, something felt missing. Like a deep, dark crack under the surface. Sometimes, Chun Li could ignore the crack and live on with the rest of her day but other days…

Other days, it felt unbearable. She felt like she was doing something wrong, that she was screwing up her whole life somehow. That something, something  _ bad _ was going to happen. 

Chun Li had confided her fears with Mikheil and he assured her that she just had anxiety. Probably from her work as an Interpol detective and all the trauma associated with it. He suggested counseling multiple times but every time she tried, the appointment always fell through. 

Of course, she knew what the source of her trauma was. The one called...

“I checked on the house, darling. The home should be finished building within a month or so. We can start moving soon and packing everything up.” Mikheil said, making her stir out of her thoughts. 

The paleness of her face seemed surprised, “Oh...but I like living here...we have friends…”

“They can come visit us. We’re not moving far.” Mikheil reminded her, “Won’t you like not having to go up 45 floors every day? Backyard? You can even have your mediation studio like we’ve talked about.”

Chun Li faltered a bit, “Yes but...I like the neighborhood and…everything is so close by...”

Mikheil touched her hand, “There’s a lot of changes you’ve had to live with. I understand your fear. After this one, no more. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy.”

She blushed, “I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Now,” Mikheil threw his napkin on his meal, “Let’s go take a shower and get you cleaned up. I think your clothes are just absolutely ruined so we should throw them away and keep you naked…”

His suggestion wound up being a perfect one, as usual. When Mikheil is given an inch, he gives a mile and he certainly showed Chun Li all of that. Her clothes became scattered across the apartment floor leading up the bathroom, along with Mikheil’s clothes, and after some foreplay in the shower, the two ended up entangled in their marital bed. 

After a while, they laid in bed to catch their breath. Chun Li blissfully snuggled up against him, sighing with contentment. 

“Is there anything you can’t do?” She inquired playfully. 

Mikheil appeared to think about it before saying, “To this day, I still have no idea how to fold a fitted sheet.”

Chun Li rolled her eyes, “I can’t marry a man who doesn’t know how to fold a fitted sheet.”

“Good thing I didn’t tell you until after it was legal.” He snickered, winking at her. Chun Li pushed his head away before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him. 

After a moment of silence, Mikheil brushed his lips against her forehead. She watched him watch her, feeling that mesmerized aura all over again. God above, he was such a good-looking man! 

“So…” He trailed off, “You think that did it?”

“Did what?” Chun Li queried. 

“You know…” Mikheil gestured with his hand slightly, “Got you...gifted with a child.”

Chun Li scoffed with exaggeration, letting her mouth gape, “Jeeze! Been married a month and you’re already trying to get me pregnant!”

He propped his head up with his arm, stroking her hip outline, “Babe, I’ve been trying since I first laid eyes on you. Could you blame me? I want to lock this all down. No escape.”

She shifted her weight a little, twisting up her hair above her head to get some cool air on her neck. Mikheil reached out and stroked her cheek, smiling to himself as Chun Li played right into his clever hands. 

“So I’m guessing you want to start trying for a family.” Her teasing words made him cock his head slightly. 

“Of course.” Mikheil said, dragging his eyes across her naked body, “The very idea of you carrying my child...oof. That is a huge turn-on. Having my baby and watching you raise my kid? So sexy that I hurt myself. Just  _ making _ babies? Definitely the hottest thing I’ve heard all year.”

Chun Li traced the outline of his muscles on his chest, blushing like mad. She had no doubt in her mind that Mikheil could smooth-talk her into having more babies than she could count but she wanted to be reasonable first. 

“Let’s get settled into our marriage and new home before we try.” She suggested, kissing him on the nose, “We shouldn’t rush things.”

“I know.  _ Let’s be responsible. _ ” Mikheil mimicked a higher pitched voice before returning to his normal tone, “But we can still work for a baby in the meantime, can’t we? It’ll be awhile before a kid gets here and by the time it does, we would have settled and kicked up our feet.”

The young housewife stroked his strong jawline, “Let’s take it easy. If it happens, it happens, but let’s not focus on our energy on that right now.”

He sighed, “You’re right. I have plenty of time to knock you up. No need to rush. But just say the word, darling, and I will service you every hour on the hour.”

“God, you’re such a nerd.” Chun Li muttered, “How did I wind up with such a hunky, strong, math nerd like you?”

He seemed very pleased with himself, “It’s a gift. I wowed you with my mental long division and strong pectoral muscles.”

“You didn't  _ wow _ me with your mental math, buddy,” Chun Li corrected him, making him raise an eyebrow, “You  _ pestered _ me with it is more like it.”

“Oh really?” Mikheil blew a raspberry, “I bet I can wow you right now.”

“No, you can’t.” She insisted. 

“Prove it. Give me a problem.” He inched closer to her face, almost mockingly, “And I’ll wow the pants right off you. If you were still wearing pants, that is.”

Chun Li rolled her eyes, rolling over a little before saying, “Fine. Ugh. 54 divided by 9.”

“That’s too easy!” Mikheil complained, “It’s 6. Give me a hard one. I promise I’ll totally amaze you. If I don’t amaze you, then I’ll do the dishes for six weeks.”

Chun Li perked up a little, “Promise?”

He stuck out his pinky, wiggling it at her, “Promise, dear.”

She thought about it for a moment before capturing his pinky with hers, “Deal. Okay. Uh...8456..3...84563 divided by...19.”

“84563 divided by 19? You sure? You positive?” Mikheil teased her before Chun Li playfully smacked him.

“Can you do it or what?” She taunted him, “Or are you all talk for six weeks straight?”

“Certainly. 445.06.” Her husband answered, “If you rounded up, it’d be 445.07 but we’re not rounding up today so we don’t have to worry.”

Chun Li tried to picture it before hitting a mental brick wall. Her mind couldn’t imagine numbers that high, let alone divide that high. Her husband was a hell of a genius to do something like that so quickly. She blew some hot air and Mikheil pulled her towards him as he winked at her.

“I turned you on a little bit, didn’t I?” He said in a low voice, “This math nerd made you a little aroused, didn’t he? Come on, baby, it’s still dark out…”

“You’re not getting laid over some mental math party trick.” Chun Li protested, feeling him kiss her deeply, “You’re...just...so…”

With that, her words melted away and they resumed their lovemaking, hardly caring an ounce that the dishes were left in the sink and dirty clothes were on the floor. All that mattered was their bodies loving each other as a man and wife should be loved. 


	2. She Called

The next morning, Chun Li awoke to her usual morning time and started making breakfast. Mikheil was still fast asleep in bed, completely out to the world like a block of wood. 

Usually, Chun Li didn’t make any extravagant breakfasts. Just some toast (now that she figured out the numbers on the toaster didn’t mean ‘level of toastiness’), eggs (after Mikheil showed her how to properly cook them on medium heat instead of high heat), and bacon (Mikheil liked burnt bacon). 

As the bacon grease sizzled in the pan, Chun Li reached for the butter in the fridge. The cold air suddenly blasted her, tingling her to her very spine. Her eyes felt darkened, as if a veil had been covering over them. 

_ The Shadaloo Leader, M. Bison, hovering in the air over her broken and defeated body. Laughing at her pitiful attempts to bring him to justice. Blood coming out every orifice as her eyesight began to darken.  _

_ The cold wind driving into her very soul, as if… _

Chun Li blinked, finding herself back at her loving home. She picked up the butter, dazed and confused as she stared at the stainless steel of her refrigerator. Her warped reflection gazed back at her, driving her in a steep, slow madness.

  1. Bison. The man she sought for so long to destroy. Somewhere out there, somewhere far away from her…



“Is there any coffee?” A groggy voice asked, almost dead to the world. Chun Li turned around slowly, seeing her husband rubbing the sleep from his eyes in his robe and fuzzy gray slippers that she bought him a week or so ago. His glasses were above his fingers, tilted on his nose.

She snapped back into reality, hugging the butter close, “Yes, I’m...I’m sorry. There’s coffee.” 

“Thanks, dear.” Mikheil mumbled out his gratitude, giving her a kiss on the cheek as he passed by, “I couldn’t do it without you.”

Chun Li watched him pour himself a cup of coffee in a large, black coffee mug as he settled down in his usual spot at the table. His hair was unkempt, probably from the bed, as Mikheil brushed it away from his face. 

The toast finally popped up from the toaster and she plated his food before setting it down before him. Mikheil had started his leisurely routine of sipping his coffee, trying to wake up for the rest of the day. 

“Honey, breakfast.” Chun Li softly said, going back towards the oven, “I’ll get your paper.”

“I knew I married you for a reason.” Mikheil joked a little, taking a larger swig of his coffee. Chun Li cracked a smile before heading towards the door, scooping up the paper that was left on the welcome mat. 

The memory still unsettled her. It felt so real. So haunting. Chun Li glanced at her husband still sitting at the table, nursing his cup of morning relief. She didn’t know if she should talk to him about this or let it go. 

Chun Li didn’t want him to worry. He already had to worry about running an accounting firm and…

“Honey? Is the paper out there or did they forget again?” Mikheil called out, making Chun Li shake her head and head towards him.

“Sorry. I’m a little slow today.” She apologized again, making him kiss her again. 

“Don’t apologize. You’re not my slave.” He scolded her, “It’s a cold morning, that’s for certain. The weather should be nice later on today. Good day for shopping.”

Chun Li nodded in agreement before heading back to the coffeemaker, getting her own cup of hot brew. Pouring some milk and sugar into her coffee, she sat at the table next to Mikheil as he read the paper. 

The warmth of her drink did make her feel better. But she just couldn’t shake that deep, resonating chill from that memory…

“Chun Li?” 

She snapped out of her thoughts, “Yes, Mikheil? What is it? Do you need more breakfast?”

Mikheil lowered the paper slightly, “I asked if you wanted to eat some breakfast. I feel a little bad eating by myself and my beautiful wife who cooked for me gets nothing.”

Chun Li shrugged her shoulders a little, “I’m okay. I’m not hungry.”

His glasses peered over the page, “Is something the matter? You seem a little off.”

She shrugged again, “I’m just not feeling well right now.”

Her husband’s face spoke of great concern, laying down his newspaper on the table. Mikheil looked straight at her, touching her forehead before Chun Li nodded off his hand. His forefinger then slid down her cheek, raising her chin. 

“Are you running a fever?” He asked, his voice soft and dulcet, “You can tell me anything, I’ll take care of you.”

Chun Li shyly cringed a little, twirling her hair around her finger, “Oh...no...I don’t have a fever...I just…”

His hand lifted the strand of hair and smoothed it behind her ear, making her feel happy and warm with him. Chun Li felt him lean over and touch her hand, gliding circles on her skin as she quivered with sudden delight. 

“Tell me.” Mikheil’s command seemed so simple.

Out of nowhere, it came pouring out of Chun Li.

“I just had this...bad...vision, I guess.” She mumbled, “While making breakfast. I had that...vision about that night...and...about...that man...that horrible, horrible man…”

“Chun Li, you had a flashback.” Mikheil stated, “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You went through a really traumatic experience. You’re still just getting over it. You should tell me these things…”

Chun Li averted her gaze to the ground, ashamed, “I didn’t want you to worry.”

“You are my main focus. You should not concern yourself about making me worried.” Mikheil corrected her, “I am your husband. I love you. I want nothing bad to happen to you. Love of my life.”

She rolled her eyes, fighting tears, “You’re being silly.”

“I am acting like your husband and if I have to put a smile on that face with a corny joke, I will. Don’t make me do it. I have a whole supply of them.” He threatened a little, making her stifle a laugh, “Aha. I got you. I love you. Let me give you a kiss.”

Chun Li leaned over and Mikheil pulled her in for a passionate kiss, making her melt a little. His kisses could charm a bat out of hell. 

“Now, come on, baby. Eat some breakfast.” Mikheil said, “Keep your energy up.” 

She decided he was right and hopped to plating her own food, shoving a piece of toast into her mouth. Chewing a little, Chun Li spotted her husband intently reading an article in the financial section of the newspaper. 

“So…” Her words trailed off, trying to think of something to say, “Anything interesting in the paper?”

Mikheil grunted slightly in response, “Stock market is down. By a lot. Nothing is a safe investment anymore. Economy is going to crash and burn if…”

_ Knock, knock.  _

Chun Li swung her head around to the door as her husband remained still, almost quiet. Out of habit, she got up from her chair and started going towards the door. 

“Who could that be this early in the morning?” She said out loud, tightening her robe around herself, “Maybe Tammy had…”

Before the wife could even get another word out, Mikheil came up quickly from behind her and patted her shoulder. His tightening on her collar made her flinch slightly as he kissed her quickly on the cheek.

“Let me get it, honey. Go sit down. You’ve done enough.” He offered, trotting off before she could even politely refuse. Chun Li watched Mikheil open the door and in mere seconds, an annoyed look was on his face. 

“Can I help you?” His tone was far removed from sincere, “You’ve interrupted our breakfast.”

What an odd thing to say but Mikheil had never been a morning person and Chun Li reckoned he was just grumpy for having visitors this early. His ‘customer service’ persona was probably not turned on until he had at least another cup of coffee. 

She could hear some words being muffled, probably from the visitor, and Chun Li stepped towards Mikheil. From her angle, the woman could only see just a smidgeon of an arm and maybe some of a leg. 

“Is everything okay?” Chun Li called out and Mikheil eyed her before twisting his head to the side. 

“Yes, dear. Everything is fine. Go back to your breakfast. I just need to step outside for a second.” Mikheil assured her, “I’ll be right back.”

He stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. Chun Li fidgeted slightly, feeling anxious as she obediently headed back to her spot at the table. The toast laid half-eaten as her coffee began to grow cold. 

Her stomach began to build up nasty tremors, as if someone was wringing out her gullet like a wet towel. Was Mikheil handling something important? Was it related to his job? Then again, what sort of emergency would constitute someone from the office coming here? 

She didn’t feel like eating anymore. Grabbing her plate and filling the sink with hot water, Chun Li impatiently waited for Mikheil to come back inside. Squeezing out some dish soap onto a sponge, she started to load up the breakfast dishes to prepare them for the dishwasher. 

After a little bit, Mikheil came back inside and shut the door, locking the deadbolts again. He beelined for his coffee, grabbing the mug and finishing off the rest of it in a fell swoop. Chun Li stiffened slightly, trying to concentrate on the dishes. 

However, she just couldn’t kill her own curiosity, “Is everything alright?” 

“Yes, everything is fine.” Mikheil answered, folding the paper back up, “That was just the office courier. Something happened and I need to go check up on it. I’ll be going in early today and probably working late.”

“Is it something serious?” Chun Li dropped the sponge in the hot water, turning around and leaning on the counter, “Are you going to be back for Tammy’s thing?”

“It’s nothing serious and I don’t know, honey. You can just go on without me.” Mikheil gathered up his loose articles, “I’m going to go get ready. Thank you for the breakfast.”

Mikheil went inside the bedroom and Chun Li turned slowly back around to her dishes. The soapy water finally filled up to an acceptable height and she dipped her hand back into the sink, picking up the sponge. 

After a few minutes, Mikheil reappeared looking presentable for work. His hair was neatly combed back along with his suit and tie perfectly pressed and ironed. He shot up behind Chun Li, giving her a quick kiss and a tight squeeze.

“Love you, Mikheil,” Chun Li said, making him kiss her again, “Have a good day at work.”

“You too, babe. Love you.” He said, “I left the credit card on the nightstand if you need it.”

With that, he picked up his briefcase and left. Chun Li pushed away the incident and finished the dishes, loading the dishwasher, and turning the machine on. She then laid on the couch, picking up her cellphone and checking her usual assortment of websites. 

Ever since she got married, she didn’t really use social media that much. But Chun Li liked to upload a picture here and there, just something to connect to the outside world once in awhile. Plus, Chun Li didn’t want to waste the beautiful and expensive phone that Mikheil got for her. 

Scrolling through her feeds, Chun Li watched a few videos of cute animals doing tricks and makeup tutorials before she got bored. She settled her head into the couch pillow, closing her eyes, and before she knew it, the young wife had drifted off to sleep. 

After about fifteen minutes, her phone began to vibrate on the table. The buzzing awoke her, making her rub her eyes and groan in exasperation. Haphazardly reaching out and feeling for her device, Chun Li managed to clear up her groggy vision to see a phone number calling for her. 

She answered, “Hello?”

_ “Chun Li?”  _ An unknown female voice said,  _ “Is it really you?” _

“Who is this?” Chun Li sat up, trying to knock the sleep from her brain, “I don’t recognize this number.”

_ “Chun Li, where are you? You’ve been gone for months! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did Shadaloo capture you?”  _ The voice persisted quickly, rushing through the questions. The former fighter clicked back into focus, confused.

“Where am I…? Who is this? What’s Shadaloo have to do with this?” Her voice became riddled with confusion and fear, “Who is this? Is this a joke?”

_ “It’s Po-Lin. Don’t you remember me? I’ve been looking for you! I’m just so glad you’re okay…”  _ The voice responded,  _ “Interpol said you resigned and I just knew that didn’t sound like you and…” _

Before Chun Li could say anything further, the phone call dropped. Cursing, she redialed the number and placed the phone back to her ear. 

_ “This call cannot be completed as dialed. Please make sure to check the number and try again.” _

Redialed. Same message. Redialed. Same message. 

Her fingers flew over the buttons. She couldn’t get the phone number back. Chun Li got up from the couch, pacing as she retyped the number. 

Same message. 

She just couldn’t believe it. Po-Lin. Chun Li hadn’t spoken to Po-Lin in months, just before the incident that put her in the hospital. They were close friends and Chun Li had…

Her brain racked. Why  _ didn’t _ Chun Li contact Po-Lin before the wedding? She always said she would have her best friend as her maid of honor. In fact, why didn’t Chun Li ever try to reach out to Po-Lin before? 

Until this very moment, Po-Lin never even crossed her mind. Not once.

Her head hurt a little from the stress. Nipping a little at her finely-manicured nails, Chun Li felt her anxiety rise up and bubble in her stomach again. She stared out the window of her high rise apartment, wondering if she could see her friend from up here. 

Po-Lin sounded so scared and relieved at the same time. Did she really think that Shadaloo had kidnapped her and kept her hostage? And why did she say ‘resigned’ when Chun Li had been fired from Interpol?

She debated about calling Mikheil but she didn’t want him to worry about her. Besides, he was at work with his own set of personal problems. Hearing about some strange phone call might just stress him out more. 

Chun Li then had a brilliant idea: she’ll look up Po-Lin on social media. Opening her internet browser app on her phone, she searched through her friends’ list for Po-Lin’s name and handle. She knew that the woman had a social media account because she was obsessed with taking foodie shots and posting them for the world to see.

However, the wife found nothing. No account, no pictures, not even tagged photos. 

That wasn’t right. Chun Li had been friends with Po-Lin on social media for a long time. She searched every one of her old social media accounts and couldn’t find a single listing for her best friend. 

Did Po-Lin delete her accounts? Was she scared of something? Something just wasn’t sitting right with her. Sure, Po-Lin complained about social media like every person in her generation but she never actually  _ left  _ any of them for a long period of time. 

Maybe something was wrong with her phone? Chun Li inspected the smartphone closely, seeing no damages or anything out of the ordinary. She couldn’t take off the back as the entire casing was molded into one piece and the screen was tightly secured. Perhaps Mikheil bought a busted phone that, for some reason, deleted her best friend from her contacts? 

Chun Li needed the phone repaired then, obviously. She quickly got dressed and made up, finding a nearby company store to fix her broken device. 

Twenty minutes later, Chun Li arrived at the company store. A young man was standing nearby with a mobile pad, greeting her gently. 

“Welcome! Is there anything I can help you with?” 

“Hi, yes,” The housewife pulled out her phone, “I think my phone might be broken. Can you take a look at it and fix it or swap it for a new one?”

The man took her phone, studying the object, before chuckling, “I’m afraid I can’t help you. This isn’t one of our phones.”

Chun Li felt slighted. Did he just say she was stupid? Of course it was their phone! It had their logo on it and everything! She knew how to read a company logo!

“No. I think you’re mistaken. That’s your logo, see?” She pointed, “This is your phone. You make this phone.”

He sighed, as if she wasn’t getting it, “No, ma’am. It’s a fake.”

Fake? The hell does fake mean? What was a  _ fake _ phone? Don’t fake phones have candy or toys inside? Chun Li plastered on a smile, barrelling through this conversation. 

“It’s not a fake phone. It’s real.” She said, a little slower, “My husband got me that phone and I know he got it here. I just want it fixed, that’s all.”

The man set down his tablet, holding up her phone, “Okay. Ma’am. This is not our phone. This is counterfeit. Your husband didn’t buy this here. Fairly so, it’s a  _ really good _ counterfeit phone--probably the best I’ve seen--but it’s not ours. Sorry. You need to take it somewhere else.”

“That can’t be right.” Chun Li insisted, “See? It makes phone calls. It goes on the internet. It’s real. Okay. I know he got it here. Please. Just...get a supervisor or something. I don’t know.”

An audible groan was heard from him before he radioed a supervisor. Within two minutes, another man came up towards them.

“Is there a problem?” The supervisor queried, “If this is about the discounts, I’m sorry, but our system is down and it…”

Chun Li stared incredulously at him, “No. This...isn’t about discounts. Your employee says that my phone is a counterfeit. It’s not. I just want it fixed. It’s doing weird things.”

The first guy handed off the phone to the supervisor and after a quick glance, the supervisor handed the phone back to her.

“He’s right. It’s a counterfeit.” His voice seemed stern, as if he was enjoying taking control of the conversation, “It’s a good one. But it’s missing a few key components.”

Chun Li’s mouth felt dry, “How? I don’t...My husband bought it…”

“Here. Look.” The supervisor turned on the phone, “The operating system is different. On the surface, it looks like our operating system but it’s actually a home-brew one. Kind of like a burner phone that’s been modified. And the casing is a little different.”

She couldn’t tell the difference. Tears started to form in her eyes, “No. Mikheil, he bought this here...I…”

“Okay. Ma’am. If he bought it here, then he has a record of purchase. If he has a record of purchase, we can easily replace it.” The supervisor cut her off, “Do you have the purchase record?”

Chun Li trembled a little, “No.”

“Okay. Well.” The supervisor cleared his throat, “If you find it, you can bring it to us. Otherwise, you can’t fix your phone here.”

Chun Li felt herself turn around and leave the store, shaking to her bones. After walking a couple of blocks back to her apartment, she finally gave in and called Mikheil for some answers on this whole debacle. 

It rang once before  _ “Hello?” _

“Mikheil. Baby.” Chun Li said, feeling relieved at the sound of his voice, “Where did you buy my phone? The one you gave me?”

_ “I bought it at the store. Why? Is something wrong with it?” _

“No. Well. Yes. I think so.” She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, “But I took it to the store and they were saying that it’s counterfeit and they won’t repair it until you provide proof of purchase. Do you know where that is?”

_ “Probably in my study somewhere. You took it to the store?” _

“Yeah.” Chun Li ran her fingers through her hair, “And they were really rude about it and they kept saying that it was a fake and the operating system was different and all sorts of stuff. Um. Could you find the proof of purchase so I can take it?”

_ “I’m confused on why I have to do this. What’s wrong with the phone so I can get it fixed?” _

She blinked, feeling distressed. Chun Li didn’t really want to tell him about Po-Lin calling and not being able to find her social media accounts. It might sound stupid if she said it out loud…

“I just think there’s something wrong with it.” Her words stammered a bit, “Honey, can you just find the proof of purchase when you get home so I can get it fixed?”

_ “Are you at the store now?” _

“No. I left.” Chun Li crossed the street, “Why are you asking me all these questions? I don’t…”

_ “Come home, please. Now.” _

Shivering, Chun Li hugged herself a little as she turned the corner to her apartment building. The cars zoomed by her as her heels clicked on the pavement. She felt confused and scared, two things that her mental state simply could not handle at this time. 

“I’m coming home. I just…” She swallowed, “Mikheil...what’s going on? Is the phone really counterfeit?”

_ “Of course not, honey. They made a mistake. I’ll handle it when I get home. But I need to know why the phone requires repairs. It was working fine yesterday.” _

She couldn’t hide it any longer, “Po-Lin called me.”

_ “Po-Lin? Your friend from the police academy?”  _

“Yes.” Chun Li said, “She called. And the call dropped but when I tried to redial it, the service said it wasn’t working. Then I tried looking her up on social media and I couldn’t find her at all. I just think the phone is broken, that’s all.”

_ “Honey, someone deleting their social media pages is not a phone issue. She was probably calling from a payphone or something. Darling. You know talking about Po-Lin gets you upset. You should go lie down for a while and relax.” _

Upset? 

“I don’t get upset about talking to Po-Lin…” Chun Li trailed off, “In fact, I don’t think I ever talked to you about Po-Lin. I didn’t even think of her until this morning when she called…”

_ “Chun Li. Don’t you remember why you stopped speaking to her? You two got into a fight while you were in the hospital and you didn’t invite her to the wedding which set Po-Lin off.” _

Her footsteps stopped, keeping Chun Li still. Fighting with Po-Lin about the wedding? That didn’t sound right. She didn’t remember Po-Lin ever visiting her in the hospital, much less... _ arguing _ in a hospital. 

“I don’t remember that.” She stated, “And I don’t remember not inviting Po-Lin to our wedding, that’s crazy talk.”

_ “Honey. We talked for a long time about Po-Lin and how she treats you. She treats you like you’re disposable and you let her walk all over you. We said that we didn’t have room for that in our new life together. Why else would she wait this long to call you?” _

Chun Li bit her lip. He had a point. But this was all news to her. Surely...surely Mikheil was mistaken. 

_ “Don’t you remember that? Chun Li. I said that I would support you but you’re getting all shaken up by this woman who isn’t in our lives anymore for good reason. I think you should put it out of your mind and go lie down at home.” _

Her stomach turned again. She was getting all shaken up but not just about Po-Lin. About everything else! Right? Surely. But Mikheil loved her. He was clearly just looking out for her. He wouldn’t lie to her. 

_ “Chun Li. Tell me what you’re thinking.” _

She felt compelled to respond, “Just...just that I don’t remember any of this...and...and...the whole phone thing and....”

_ “I’ll take care of the phone issue. Darling, you have PTSD. Of course you don’t remember a lot. You’re very stressed, Chun Li. Go home and rest. You’ll have a clearer mind when you wake up.” _

Chun Li finally reached her apartment building, walking through the doors and straight to the elevator. She pressed the button for her floor, feeling nauseated. The floor felt like it was going to be yanked out from under her feet at any second…

_ “Just trust me, sweetheart.” _

His sentence made her feel safe and loved again. Of course Mikheil was right. He was always right about everything and she was grateful to have such a strong, even-keeled husband by her side. Chun Li took a deep breath, smiling as she stepped in the elevator. 

“I love you. I’m going into the elevator now.”


End file.
